


I’m bigger than these bones.

by youngjusticewriter



Series: The sea doesn't like to be restrained. [6]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark Percy Jackson, Dreams and Nightmares, Gen, I have the rest of the chapters for that fic planned I just have to write them, Multi, Protective Annabeth Chase, Protective Percy Jackson, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Temporary Amnesia, Time Travel, pre-relationships, there is no rape in this fic but it’ll be discussed, yes this the sequel to ISTLWISMM
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22728034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngjusticewriter/pseuds/youngjusticewriter
Summary: Percy does not accidentally steal the Golden Fleece.Or, “Annabeth,” Percy breathed out. There was relief in his voice and the name felt right to roll off his tongue but wasn’t that funny? He didn’t-“Why haven’t you’ve been answering my letters?” The grey eyed girl demanded and left Percy blinking. “Never-mind. We need get out of here and then you can explain yourself.”Percy stared and despite everything that had happened today (and of course at the last day of school does this happen) Percy couldn’t help but have this be his first question; with drawn together eyebrows Percy asked, “Do we know each other?”
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Percy Jackson & Grover Underwood, Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Luke Castellan & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo & Will Solace, Percy Jackson & Tyson, Silena Beauregard & Clarisse la Rue, Silena Beauregard/Clarisse La Rue
Series: The sea doesn't like to be restrained. [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/907851
Comments: 2
Kudos: 56





	I’m bigger than these bones.

The wind was a howling thing but despite that and the pelting rain Percy could hear the hurried clop, clop, clop.

Percy’s eyebrows drew together because what could be making that sound. Surely a horse couldn’t be here. Florida, his mind supplied but where the answer came from he didn’t know. Percy had never been to Florida - his mom and him always went to Montauk for vacation - yet somehow he just knew that they were in Florida. 

Finally a figure appeared in view and it wasn’t a horse or even a donkey. It was- 

“Grover?” The words fell out from his lips as Percy took in the sight of the bottom half of the teenager he had been friends with at Yancy Academy. 

From waist up Grover was normal and exactly how Percy remembered his friend from the last time he had seen him. (“Thanks," Percy managed to sleepily mumble without yawning. "You know," he paused so he could look at his friend's eyes, "if you ever need help I'll be there. Summer or any other time in the year."

Grover cracked a nervous smile as they went down the steps of the bus. 

Fresh air greeting them as they stepped out onto the country road. A country road you wouldn't really notice except for if you broke down at it. There was nothing really scenic about the place if you didn't count the weird looking red flowers. Percy's eyebrows furrowed for a moment only to relax a second later. While there was something about them, something Percy felt he should know, they weren't important.  
The only thing about this place that stood out, the thing that made the hair on the back of Percy's neck stand up, was three old ladies knitting under a maple tree. Except they weren't really three old ladies knitting a singular sock for Big Foot. Well they were but they weren't. Old ladies that is. Not the Big Foot part. It's complicated-) 

And waist up was where that normalnnce ended. Grover’s legs were as furry as Big Foot’s legs would be and he didn’t have feet. Okay, he had donkey hooves instead of you know feet like humans normally had; despite having hooves Grover was holding a pair of normal sneakers in one hand. Percy would have dwelled on that more if it wasn’t the terrified expression on his old friend’s face, the harsh breathing that Grover panted out like he was running a race or being chased, and last but not least how his eyes darted about. 

A growl cut through the harsh rain. Behind Grover there was a tall figure that was at the far end of the block. Percy couldn’t see who or even what was chasing his old friend because shadows clung to it and maybe that was what made the terrible experience worse. It was bad enough he couldn’t help Grover (it’s just a dream a part of him thought but denial rose in him) but not being able to know what was hunting his friend and having his mind draw up what could be- 

Grover let out a whimper as he stumbled forward. Still despite his fear Grover kept pressing on; he kept running but in the end that wasn’t enough because it was a dead end he found himself in. A courtyard of shops that Percy had a hard time of reading the displays of. 

The ground suddenly shook as though Grover had stolen a goose that could lay gold. There was no ‘fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman’ declared though. Only Grover’s heavy breath and the rain was what filled the courtyard. With a desperate expression and quivering lips Grover dashed into one store. Percy didn’t need read the display on the window to know that the store was a bridial shop of all things Grover was running into; all the different cuts of wedding dresses gave it away. Once Grover was inside he ran towards a rack before darting behind it. 

The monster’s shadow - because no human was that tall (and that didn’t make - none of this made sense because monsters weren’t real and Grover wasn’t hairy and had hooves in the real world) - passed in front of the shop.

Grover had brought his knees to his stomach so there was less of him to be potentially be seen. Percy knew his friend’s fingers would have been shaking if his hands weren’t wrapped around his knees and thus his hands were holding his elbows.

Go away, Percy thought even though Grover had said last year that maybe it was a good thing he wasn’t invited back to Yancy, just go away. Be tricked and let Grover be fine. He’s a good person but that was the thing wasn’t it? It had been something Percy had known since he was a kid: good people had the worst luck. First his mom and now Gr- 

A shaky exhale filled the bridal shop. Grover’s shoulder began to relax when  
lightning flashed illuminating a figure with one milky eye. 

“MIIIINE!” 

[\\]

Percy’s upper half had jolted away from the pillows before he even knew what was happening. Somewhere close an alarm was beeping adamantly but Percy paid it no mind as he tried to slow his breathing. It wasn’t just his breath that was too fast. His heart was racing as though it was a horse that had just finished running in a derby. 

It was just a dream, Percy told himself and maybe if he repeated the thought so many times he would calm down. It was just a dream. A dream that felt familiar at that. There was nothing wrong (but people who are good always get kicked around by life whispered a part of him that was not helping). Grover was safe. It was one more school day until summer and Grover was probably at that summer home he had given Percy the address for; Grover was rich like just like everyone at Yancy Academy was but Percy. 

Grover hadn’t even called once this year. 

They had been two peas in a pod and once their days at Yancy had finished they just broke off. So why should he be freaking out of him? Especially since it was just a stupid dre- 

Percy shut his eyes and continued to try and slow his breathing to a normal pace. 

He gave you card, whispered a part of Percy. Grover gave you his summer home address and the phone number to the place. You didn’t call him either. Maybe he’s going through something. Maybe he’s afraid you no longer want to be his friend. 

It was remembering that friendship was two way street that made Percy open his eyes. The alarm was still going off - his alarm was going off! Percy reached an arm out to hit the snooze button before he went to work to turn it off for good cause otherwise in like five minutes it would go off again. After accomplishing that Percy got out of bed and started looking for where his socks were; he apparently had kicked them under the bed last night when he had made himself a cup of ginger tea. 

Percy leaned down about halfway, his thumbs at both sides of sock so it would slip on easier. He did the other one next before heading out of his room. Percy would have look around his bedroom later today or even tomorrow to see if he still had the card. Unfortunately summer started tomorrow not today so Percy would have to deal with Sloan and his stupid friends for one more day and he couldn’t search for that card this morning; he was already running a good ten minutes late and there was a lot Percy needed to do before school. 

Percy opened the door only to freeze at the door. Melon was already up. 

“I need you to move,” he told the green eyed cat. She only blinked up at him. For some reason Melon had chosen for Perct to be her favorite human instead of mom even though mom had been the one to bring her home last summer. “Okay, you win.” Percy told her before simply raising a leg and stepping over her. (She only won because he didn’t have much time.) 

The air was filled with a delicious smell. Mom was up too then. Percy padded out of the short the hallway and made his way into the kitchen. Mom was at the stove (he could see the handle of a frying pan though not the rest of the pan) and was already dressed for work. She only needed to take off the blue apron and she was ready for her shift at Sweets on America. A lot had changed since last summer but where mom was employed at wasn’t one of them. 

Percy grabbed a coffee cup from the drying mat that was next to the sink before taking a few more steps so he could be in front of the sink. With two fingers he turned on the tap and waited for the cup to be filled about halfway. In the corner of his eye the pancakes mom was cooking were blue. His lips drew upwards in a smile and for the first time since waking up this morning Percy felt a bit of happiness. 

“Last day of school,” mom said as Percy turned off the water. “You should be excited!” 

She didn’t say you’ve almost made it. That would have been asking to be jinxed.

Percy brought his shoulders upwards to shrug. “I had a nightmare so...” he trailed off letting his mom fill in the blank and have an answer on why he wasn’t even a bit more excited for not only summer but not being kicked out of a school. That was thing for him - there were over five schools Percy had been kicked out of - and it wasn’t even on purpose. Okay, so maybe common sense would be to not point a cannon at the school bus but there were two things. The first being Percy had never claimed to have been blessed with common sense. The last reason being the thing had been old. It was a war canon from Revolutionary War! It was surprise was loaded and even more of a surprise that it had worked despite being older than this country. Would it actually be considered older than this country? It was- 

“Well I’m sure having a full stomach from a warm and blue breakfast will help. Go take your medicine and water your plant. Your pancake should be finished and on a plate for you when you get back.” 

Percy was this close (he wasn’t screwing up and causing her problems she didn’t deserve) so, yeah, he should be more excited or even a bit happy about it. 

He waited a moment before heading back to his bedroom. “Thanks, Mom.” He meant it. He really did mean it. “You’re right. I’ll probably feel better after I get something on my stomach.” 

A familiar sight greeted him when Percy headed into the hallway: Melon was still lounging at his door. Percy stared down unimpressed, “I’ll give you the same answer I’m sure mom gave you. You can’t have pancakes.” For some reason (the reason being she was a cat) Melon thought she was owed human food even if said food wasn’t fish. If it was just fish Melon wanted Percy wouldn’t have minded the attitude because apparently cats had a thing for fish but it wasn’t just seafood. 

Thankfully the dark haired cat moved out of the way for him this time. (Probably only because he was carrying water.) His bottle of Zoloft was next to the pot he kept his alstroemeria flower at which was to say on his desk. If Smelly Gabe was still living with them than keeping the planet wouldn’t have happened. Gabe would have made some comment about flowers and Percy not needed to- 

Percy cut that thought off and didn’t think of how his step-father use to keep his smelly shoes and a beer bottles in Percy’s room in their old apartment while Percy had been away at boarding school. 

With a soft thud Percy put down the coffee cup so he could grab the bottle of medicine he needed to take. With his left hand Percy unscrewed the top and grabbed one tablet. He was quick to wash the antidepressant down with a gulp of water. After that Percy gently poured what was left of water in the coffee cup in the flower pot. The alstroemeria flower in his room was spotted and red in color. (A country road you wouldn't really notice except for if you broke down at it. There was nothing really scenic about the place if you didn't count the weird looking red flowers. Percy's eyebrows furrowed for a moment only to relax a second later. While there was something about them, something Percy felt he should know, they weren't important.

The only thing about this place that stood out, the thing that made the hair on the back of Percy's neck stand up, was three old ladies knitting under a maple tree. Except they weren't really three old ladies knitting a singular sock for Big Foot. Well they were but they weren't. Old ladies that is. Not the Big Foot part. It's complicated and deadly even if it wasn't Percy's life-) 

Percy’s eyes blinked and he shook his head. He really did miss Grover didn’t he? Still looking for that phone number would have to wait until tonight. (The weirdest thing was, they seemed to be looking right at him. Percy looked over at his best friend, his lips patting ti day something about this only he froze at the sight that greeted him. Grover’s face was being drained from its blood. “Grover?” Percy said. “Hey, man-“ 

“Tell me they’re not looking at you. They are, aren’t they?” There was something scared about Grover’s voice. Still Percy brushed it off because what could three harmless old ladies do? Smother him to death with oversized socks? 

“Yeah. Weird, huh? You think those sided would fit me?” 

“Not funny, Percy. Not funny at all.”) 

Nails dug into his skin and made his scalp sting in pain. Percy his hand from his head once he realized what he was doing. His heart beat had once more picked up and it felt like Percy was drowning. 

He wasn’t though. He could breathe and even though it didn’t feel like he was getting air in his lungs Percy was. He just had to keep breathing and that was what he did. In and out. Slow and steady is what wins the race. 

His stomach expanded before falling and Percy unable to see it through the frantic of his shirt. 

A meow cut through the silence. Percy’s eyes fell to his feet where Melon sat next to her. Her green eyes meet his eyes and if Percy didn’t know better he would have named the look in them as concern. Maybe it was concern that she was feeling. If dogs could be good at picking up emotions who was to say cats weren’t? 

“I’m fine,” Percy croaked out to the only witness. “Grover is fine. Everything is okay and-“ 

If cats had eyebrows Percy was absolutely sure Melon would have raised one then. 

Percy lifted his chin before he went to grab the coffee cup he had set on his desk earlier. Something rippled outside of his bedroom window. Percy stared at it - the window that is - for several moments but there was nothing else. It was just his imagination. He was just paranoid from the nightmare. They lived on the fifth floor of the apartment building after all. If someone or something was on the old fire escape there would have been some sort of noise to alert him. That thing was rickety and honestly needed to be replaced but Percy wasn’t going to tell the landlord that. 

Percy turned his back on not only his desk but the window as well. When he left the room he had the coffee cup in hand and Melon at his feet. 

[\\] 

Percy should have known that the last day of school would not have gone smoothly. 

“You freak!” Sloan yelled before his lips turned into sneer. “Why don’t you go crawl back to your cardboard box!” 

Crying filled the the backyard as Tyson began sobbing at Sloan’s words. 

Percy felt hot. Oh, it was about to be summer so of course it was hot but that wasn’t the main reason Percy was hot. Sometimes when he got upset Percy would suddenly feel too hot and it was good indicator that he needed to remove himself from the situation. That’s what his previous school counselor had advised but the thing was life didn’t pause when you’re about to lose your temper. Bullies didn’t just let you step away from them so you can cool down and gather your thoughts. Bullies wanted to see you be emotional. They wanted to see you be hurt because of them or get in trouble with the teachers because you lost your temper. And Matt Sloan was very much a bully. 

Shut the hell up was on the tip of Percy’s tongue. Tyson was who Sloan was bullying at this moment. Tyson was a homeless despite mom’s best efforts at informing and berating social services. Tyson was also a big softie and once their fellow Meriwether College Prep students learnt that they had bullied the taller than six feet teenage boy. 

“Or is it a garbage can that you sleep in?” Sloan continued on, completely oblivious to how close he was to being harmed. “Those clothes sure do look like they belong in the dumpster so maybe I’m right. Maybe you do live in a-“ 

“Shut up!” If there was ever a time Percy should have been allowed to say something that would have earned him a bar of soap in his mouth it would have been the crap Sloan was spewing out right now. Still Percy did not do it. It was the last day of school. He would not screw this up. He could defend Tyson without disappointing his mom. He could be a good ki- 

The sneer on Sloan’s face grew and Percy fingers curled. He did not lift or throw his fist though. 

“You know,” Sloan began, “I genuinely can’t for the life of me get why you bother, Jackson. You might have friends if you weren’t always sticking up for that freak!” 

“Didn’t I tell you to shut up?” Percy asked despite knowing he had moments ago. “He’s not a freak and his name is Tyson so how about you use it instead-“ 

Sloan snapped , “Just wait till PE, Jackson.”At Sloan’s words Percy felt the urge to call him Malfoy for the whole last name calling. “You are so dead.” 

One, two, three, four, and five. One, two, three, four, and five. 

The counting wasn’t helping. 

Percy turned on his heel and without another word he made his way to Tyson. Hopefully, Mr. de Milo would get here soon. Yeah, they had been studying Lord of Flies but it still had been a stupid idea to leave teenagers unsupervised if you asked him. 

Tyson was still crying when Percy sat by him. He didn’t ask if his friend was okay because that would have been stupid. Of course Tyson wasn’t okay. 

“Am...Am I freak?” Tyson’s voice was softer instead of the usual loud volume he spoke with. 

Percy stared at his knuckles. Color was beginning to come back into them now that Percy had released his fingers from the tight grip he had put them in by balling his fists earlier. “No, you’re not,” Percy reassured his friend. “I promise the only freaks around here are Sloan and his friends.” Sloan’s friends were new transfer students whose names could not be genuine. That or if they were true then their parents hated them. Percy leaned towards the first guess with Skull Eater and then Joe Bob and Marrow Sucker likely belonged in the latter category. Sloan’s friends wore hello, my name is tags since none of teachers had taken time to introduce them to the class. 

Despite knowing each other for less than a day they had proven themselves to be jerks just like Sloan. 

Tyson sniffled then. “You are a good friend. Miss you next year if...if I can’t...” he trailed off and at the thought they wouldn’t be together Tyson’s lipped dipped further. 

The realization that community service project that Meriwether College Prep did this year might not help Tyson again made Percy frown too; had the principle or any of the staff talked to Tyson about the future? “When we go to lunch I’ll buy you a peanut butter sandwich,” Percy promised as he tried to shove the thoughts on the similarities between Grover and Tyson out of your mind. “We can start talking and planning about next semester or a different school throughout the summer. You know Mom and I care about you. We won’t leaving you hanging.” 

Maybe Percy shouldn’t have promised that. After all how could he promise a kid like Tyson everything would be perfectly fine? How could he say that when he knew that bad cards were always dealt to the kindest people.

Tyson shot him a look of gratitude and Percy was reminded of a stray dog in that moment.

They would work it out, Percy thought as the two of them made their way back to the others. Finally Mr. de Milo had arrived and currently their teacher was telling the class they had understood the meaning behind Lord of the Flies. 

“Percy!” A voice whispered his name but it was an urgent sort of whisper. It was a girl’s voice that was familiar but from where or rather which fellow student it belonged to Percy couldn’t place. Still he jerked his head to the side to find out there was nothing there to greet him. 

He could have imagined it or maybe it was some prank. Still, despite his thoughts brushing it off, his heart was racing even after the realization befell him.

**Author's Note:**

> Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot.


End file.
